Boletín del Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino

Innovations in Colonial Andean Ritual Vessels: Keros and Pacchas

Innovaciones en vasijas rituales andinas coloniales: keros y pacchas

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56522/BMCHAP.0080020300005

Resumen

This article explores innovations in the design and production of two types of colonial ritual vessels from the Peruvian and Bolivian Andes: keros and pacchas. The production of wooden keros with metal incrustations and ceramic pacchas with green glass inlays occurs in Cusco during the Early Colonial period (ad 1532-1783), and there are no prehispanic antecedents. Our archaeometric analyses show that short tin, silver and paktong rods were used as inlays, with the tin and paktong probably being imported from Europe. Similarly, the glass inlays are argued to be from repurposed beads and vessels likely brought from Venice, Italy. A study of these insets reveals the development of unprecedented techniques to attach the exotic materials to the ritual vessels. The ontological and cosmological rationale for the creation of these new classes of objects during this time is considered within the context of our understandings of colonial indigenous worldview. The two case studies are interpreted as testaments to the continued vitality of Andean culture after the Spanish conquest.

Keywords: ritual instruments, colonial art, technological innovation, paktong, metal and glass inlays, Andes.

Referencias

Bauer, B. & M. Aráoz 2015. Excavations Conducted at Espíritu Pampa in 2010. In Vilcabamba and the Archaeology of Inca Resistance, B. Bauer, J. Fonseca & M. Aráoz, eds., pp.144-164. Los Angeles: ucla, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology.

Bertonio, L. 1879 [1612]. Vocabulario de la lengua aymara. Leipzig: Julio Platzmann.

Burger, R. 2012. The Construction of Values During the Peruvian Formative. In The Construction of Value in the Ancient World, J. Papadopoulos & G. Urton, eds., pp. 288-305. Los Angeles: ucla, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology.

Burger, R. 2021. The Survival and Transformation of Annular Pacchas in Cusco: An Example of Artistic and Ideological Continuity and Change. Boletín del Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino 26 (1): 107-133.

Burger, R. & L. Salazar 1993. Dual Organization in Early Andean Ceremonialism: A Comparative Review. In El mundo ceremonial andino, L. Millones & Y. Onuki, eds., pp. 97-116. Tokyo: Senri Ethnological Series.

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Imágenes

Figure 1: a) kero with a pedestal base, finely incised geometric designs and metal inlays forming diamonds and pendant triangles (pcl-1, private collection, purchased in Lima and is said to have been acquired in Cusco; height 11.5 cm, width 10 cm); b) x-ray images of the kero pcl-1 highlighting its metal rod inlays (photos taken in the Yale University Art Gallery Conservation Laboratories) (all photos by the authors, unless otherwise stated). Figura 1: a) kero con base de pedestal, finamente inciso con diseños geométricos e incrustaciones de metal en formas de rombos y triángulos colgantes (pcl-1, colección privada, comprado en Lima, pero se dice adquirido en Cusco; alto 11,5 cm, ancho 10 cm); b) imágenes radiográficas del kero pcl-1 destacando sus incrustaciones de metal (fotografías tomadas en Yale University Art Galley Conservation Laboratories) (todas las fotografías son de los autores, excepto cuando se indica).

Figure 3: a) kero with metal inlays and polychrome lacquer decoration (B/1847, acquired in 1896 by Adolf Bandelier on “Titicaca Island”, Bolivia, amnh, New York, usa; height 21.8 cm, diameter 19 cm); b) closeup of the Bandelier kero showing lacquer painting of parrots. Metal inlays form a cross-hatching pattern and unlike the other keros studied are incrusted so that the rods project from the kero surface. Figura 3: a) kero con incrustaciones de metal y decoración polícroma lacada (B/1847, adquirido en 1896 por Adolf Bandelier en “Isla Titicaca”, Bolivia, amnh, Nueva York, eeuu; alto 21,8 cm, diámetro 19 cm); b) detalle de la pintura lacada de loros del kero Bandelier. Las incrustaciones de metal forman un patrón de tramas cruzadas, y a diferencia de otros keros estudiados, estas están engastadas de manera tal que las varillas sobresalen de la superficie de la vasija.

Figure 9: a) frontal image of a ceramic annular paccha with the modeled head of a cherub and the depiction of the amaru decorated with glass incrustations (pc-1, private collection, purchased in Cusco, Peru; height 11.5 cm, diameter circular chamber 18.5 cm); b) the annular paccha in figure 9a, photographed from above to show the low relief amaru and the glass inlays, which are annotated with numbers corresponding to the elemental analytical data. Figura 9: a) imagen frontal de una paccha anular de cerámica con cabeza de querubín modelada y representación de amaru decorada con incrustaciones de vidrio (pc-1, colección privada, adquirida en Cusco, Perú; alto 11,5 cm, diámetro cámara circular 18,5 cm); b) paccha anular de la figura 9a, fotografiada desde arriba para mostrar a amaru en bajo relieve y las incrustaciones de vidrio señaladas con números correspondientes a los datos analíticos de los elementos.

Figure 11. Ceramic annular paccha with small green glass inlays adorning ear ornaments of the cherubic face and tupus of his shawl (47-26 AP-14, Museo Nacional de la Cultura Peruana, Lima, Peru; height 10 cm, max. width 19.5 cm). Figura 11. Paccha anular de cerámica con pequeñas incrustaciones de vidrio verde decorando las orejeras del rostro del querubín y los tupus de su manta (47-26 AP-14, Museo Nacional de la Cultura Peruana, Lima, Perú; alto 10 cm, ancho máx. 19,5 cm).

Figure 13. Micro-CT scans, of the pc-1 paccha showing cross-sections of the protruding “tablet” area (conducted in the Yale Structural Science Facility): a) from above; b) from the side, showing the glass inlays that had been pressed into the clay (white color arrows); c) a glass inlay protruding from the clay surface (red color arrow); d) when the clay is subtracted based on density, there is a second inlay that appears inside the clay, like it was pushed in too far (blue color arrow). The visible one also appears to have bubbles inside; this was also observed in visible-light images. Figura 13. Tomografías computarizadas microscópicas de secciones transversales del área de la “tableta” que sobresale en paccha pc-1 (realizadas en Yale Structural Science Facility): a) desde arriba; b) desde el lado que muestra las incrustaciones de vidrio que habrían sido presionadas en la arcilla (flechas blancas); c) incrustación de vidrio que sobresale de la superficie de la arcilla (flecha roja); d) cuando se sustrae la arcilla en función de la densidad, aparece una segunda incrustación dentro de la arcilla, como si la hubieran empujado demasiado (flecha azul). El vidrio parece tener burbujas en su interior; esto también se observó en imágenes de luz visible.